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Biotechnologist Average Salary in South Africa 2024

How much money does a person working as Biotechnologist make in South Africa?


Average Monthly Salary
43,700 ZAR
( 525,000 ZAR yearly)

LOW
22,700
ZAR
AVERAGE
43,700
ZAR
HIGH
66,900
ZAR
All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

A person working as Biotechnologist in South Africa typically earns around 43,700 ZAR. Salaries range from 22,700 ZAR (lowest) to 66,900 ZAR (highest).


Salary Variance

This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Biotechnologist salaries in South Africa vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.



Biotechnologist Pay Scale and Salaries in South Africa

Median and salary distribution South Africa Biotechnologist  monthly
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Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison

5% of people earn
39,600 ZAR or more
10% of people earn
35,300 to 39,600 ZAR
20% of people earn
25,800 ZAR or less
65% of people earn
25,800 to 35,300 ZAR
Minimum Salary
22,700 ZAR
Median
39,800 ZAR
Maximum
66,900 ZAR




Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range

All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.
  • Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary

    Salaries for the position Biotechnologist in South Africa range from 22,700 ZAR (starting salary) to 66,900 ZAR (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.

  • Median Salary

    With a median salary of 39,800 ZAR, half of the professionals who work as Biotechnologist in South Africa earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.

  • Percentiles and Salary Scale

    The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Biotechnologist in South Africa earn less than 33,000 ZAR, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 45,100 ZAR while 25% earn more.

  • Pay Scale Structure

    To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Biotechnologist in South Africa compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 25,800 ZAR to 35,300 ZAR. About 20% of salaries are below the 25,800 ZAR mark, while 10% fall within the range of 35,300 ZAR to 39,600 ZAR. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 39,600 ZAR.

Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Biotechnologist / South Africa

How do experience and age affect pay?

0 - 2 Years
25,800 ZAR
2 - 5 Years+34%
34,700 ZAR
5 - 10 Years+30%
45,100 ZAR
10 - 15 Years+21%
54,600 ZAR
15 - 20 Years+9%
59,600 ZAR
20+ Years+5%
62,700 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by years of experience monthly South Africa Biotechnologist
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Biotechnologist and this is what we found.


All salary figures displayed here are per month except when noted otherwise.

Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 25,800 ZAR.

While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 34,700 ZAR, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.

Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 45,100 ZAR, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.

Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 54,600 ZAR, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.

If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 59,600 ZAR, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.

Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 62,700 ZAR, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.

On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years* experience mark.
* Based on the average change in salary over time. Salary variations differ from person to person.

Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Experience Level
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Salary Comparison By Education / Biotechnologist / South Africa

How do education levels affect salaries?

Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Biotechnologist .

Bachelor's Degree
33,400 ZAR
Master's Degree+24%
41,300 ZAR
PhD+60%
66,000 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salary comparison by education level monthly South Africa Biotechnologist
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We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Biotechnologist in order to make a comparison.


Level 1: Bachelor's Degree

Employees at this education level have an average salary of 33,400 ZAR.


Level 2: Master's Degree

At this level, the average salary becomes 41,300 ZAR, 24% more than the previous level.


Level 3: PhD

At this level, the average salary becomes 66,000 ZAR, 60% more than the previous level.



Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?

A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in South Africa costs anywhere from 156,000 ZAR to 469,000 ZAR and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.

You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.

Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.

If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.


Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers

Salary Comparison By Education Level
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Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Biotechnologist / South Africa

Salary comparison by gender South Africa Biotechnologist  monthly
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Biotechnologist in South Africa, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 8%.

Male
45,700 ZAR
Female-7%
42,400 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Comparison By Gender in South Africa for all Careers

Salary comparison by gender monthly South Africa
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Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Biotechnologist / South Africa

How much are annual salary increments in South Africa for individuals working as Biotechnologist ? How often do employees get salary raises?

Individuals working as Biotechnologist in South Africa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% every 19 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 18 months.

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa Biotechnologist
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The figures provided here are averages of numbers. Those figures should be taken as general guidelines. Salary increments will vary from person to person and depend on many factors, but your performance and contribution to the success of the organization remain the most important factors in determining how much and how often you will be granted a raise.

South Africa / All Professions

Annual Salary Increment Rate South Africa
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The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.

How to calculate the salary increment percentage?

The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency

The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in South Africa is 5%.

Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs

World Average Annual Salary Increment
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Salary Packages and Schemes

Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.



Bonus and Incentive Rates / Biotechnologist / South Africa

How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?Annual Salary Bonus Rate South Africa Biotechnologist
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47% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 53% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.

Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.

Received Bonus
53%
No Bonus
47%

Types of Bonuses Considered

Individual Performance-Based Bonuses

The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.

Company Performance Bonuses

Occasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.

Goal-Based Bonuses

Granted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.

Holiday / End of Year Bonuses

These types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.

Bonuses Are Not Commissions!

People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.


What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?

The main two types of jobs

Revenue GeneratorsSupporting Cast

Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business.

Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations.

Example:
A graphics designer working for a graphics designing company.

Example:
A graphic designer in the marketing department of a hospital.


Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.

Try to work for companies where your skills can generate revenue. We can't all generate revenue and that's perfectly fine.

Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level

Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.

Average Hourly Wage / Biotechnologist / South Africa


250 ZAR per hour

The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Biotechnologist in South Africa is 250 ZAR.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.


Hourly Wage = Annual Salary / ( 52 x 5 x 8 )

About The Hourly Pay Rate

The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.

What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?

The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Biotechnologist in South Africa is 130 ZAR. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.

Salary comparison with similar jobs

Job TitleAverage Salary
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology-100%
Assistant Pharmacist26,600 ZAR-39%
Assistant Pharmacy Director52,700 ZAR+20%
Associate Medical Affairs Director71,100 ZAR+63%
Bioethics Specialist37,900 ZAR-13%
Biofabrication Specialist38,900 ZAR-11%
Bioinformatics Scientist62,300 ZAR+42%
Bioinformatics Technician28,800 ZAR-34%
Biological Scientist67,300 ZAR+54%
Biological Technician28,900 ZAR-34%
Biomanufacturing Technician33,300 ZAR-24%
Biomarker Scientist45,200 ZAR+3%
Biomedical Electronics Technician26,200 ZAR-40%
Biomedical Engineer28,500 ZAR-35%
Biomedical Engineering Director55,400 ZAR+27%
Bioprocess Engineer32,000 ZAR-27%
Biostatistician44,800 ZAR+2%
Biotechnologist 43,700 ZAR-0%
Biotechnology Lead Data Manager32,000 ZAR-27%
Cell Therapy Scientist59,300 ZAR+36%
Chemical Process Technician30,800 ZAR-30%
Clinical Consultant41,400 ZAR-5%
Clinical Data Manager43,600 ZAR-0%
Clinical Data Specialist40,100 ZAR-8%
Clinical Informatics Specialist31,000 ZAR-29%
Clinical Operations Manager62,900 ZAR+44%
Clinical Pharmacist42,900 ZAR-2%
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist48,300 ZAR+10%
Clinical Programmer22,700 ZAR-48%
Clinical Project Manager40,100 ZAR-8%
Clinical Research Associate38,200 ZAR-13%
Clinical Research Manager60,400 ZAR+38%
Clinical Study Manager54,600 ZAR+25%
Clinical Trials Compliance Officer68,400 ZAR+56%
Compliance Specialist42,300 ZAR-3%
Computational Chemist52,900 ZAR+21%
Cytology Laboratory Technologist34,800 ZAR-20%
Cytotechnologist34,900 ZAR-20%
Digital Biomarker Developer40,800 ZAR-7%
Digital Health Specialist37,100 ZAR-15%
Drug Safety Specialist47,300 ZAR+8%
GCP Auditor38,300 ZAR-12%
Gene Editing Compliance Officer54,800 ZAR+25%
Gene Editing Specialist44,200 ZAR+1%
Gene Therapy Researcher46,800 ZAR+7%
Hospital Pharmacy Technician32,400 ZAR-26%
Manufacturing Engineer36,800 ZAR-16%
Medical 3D Printing Specialist34,200 ZAR-22%
Medical Affairs Director62,800 ZAR+44%
Medical Device Compliance Specialist41,100 ZAR-6%
Medical Device Data Analyst39,200 ZAR-10%
Medical Device Designer38,200 ZAR-13%
Medical Representative 27,000 ZAR-38%
Medical Science Liaison45,700 ZAR+4%
Medical Technology Writer31,000 ZAR-29%
Molecular and Cellular Biologist67,500 ZAR+54%
Nuclear Pharmacist45,200 ZAR+3%
Pharmaceutical Compliance Auditor61,000 ZAR+39%
Pharmaceutical Manager73,400 ZAR+68%
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Lead75,400 ZAR+72%
Pharmaceutical Operations Excellence Manager69,300 ZAR+58%
Pharmaceutical Process Engineer37,400 ZAR-15%
Pharmaceutical Production Assistant Manager48,100 ZAR+10%
Pharmaceutical Project Manager42,900 ZAR-2%
Pharmaceutical Quality Auditor47,600 ZAR+9%
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Assistant33,300 ZAR-24%
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Manager45,600 ZAR+4%
Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Specialist35,600 ZAR-19%
Pharmaceutical Representative27,200 ZAR-38%
Pharmaceutical Research Associate43,700 ZAR-0%
Pharmaceutical Research Scientist61,500 ZAR+41%
Pharmaceutical Researcher61,600 ZAR+41%
Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing Manager51,400 ZAR+17%
Pharmaceutical Sales Manager58,300 ZAR+33%
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative28,600 ZAR-35%
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Manager62,500 ZAR+43%
Pharmaceutical Team Leader45,600 ZAR+4%
Pharmaceutical Technologist30,700 ZAR-30%
Pharmacist43,200 ZAR-1%
Pharmacogenomics Expert49,600 ZAR+13%
Pharmacovigilance Analyst48,700 ZAR+11%
Pharmacy Aide28,600 ZAR-35%
Pharmacy Manager61,000 ZAR+39%
Pharmacy Stock Controller23,900 ZAR-45%
Pharmacy Technician23,500 ZAR-46%
Precision Medicine Compliance Analyst48,500 ZAR+11%
Precision Medicine Specialist45,500 ZAR+4%
Records Management Coordinator23,600 ZAR-46%
Shift Encapsulator25,600 ZAR-41%
Staff Pharmacist39,700 ZAR-9%
Synthetic Biologist49,500 ZAR+13%
Telepharmacy Technician24,800 ZAR-43%

Salary Comparison By City

CityAverage Salary
Cape Town48,600 ZAR
Johannesburg43,100 ZAR

Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison

Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in South Africa is 7% on average across all career fields.

Private Sector
30,400 ZAR
Public Sector+7%
32,400 ZAR
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value

Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide

What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Biotechnologist in South Africa?

A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 39,800 ZAR and 45,100 ZAR. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.

Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)

All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.

Base / Basic Salary

The base salary for a careers like Biotechnologist in South Africa ranges from 22,700 ZAR to 33,000 ZAR. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.


What is the difference between the median and the average salary?

Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary


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